Author Topic: Wisconsin Outdoor Report February 15, 2007  (Read 635 times)

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Wisconsin Outdoor Report February 15, 2007
« on: February 15, 2007, 07:39:07 AM »
Unseasonably cold weather has continued across Wisconsin, but more moderate temperatures are in for forecast for this weekend and next week. Areas if southern Wisconsin received from a trace to more than 5 inches of new snow in the last week. Snow depth now ranges from a low of 2 to 3 inches in northwestern and west central Wisconsin to more than a foot in parts of north central and southern Wisconsin. The Department of Tourism Snow Conditions Report for snowmobiling varies widely with snow levels, so people should call ahead for current trail conditions. Cross-country ski conditions generally are fair to good across most of the state.

The cold has kept ice fishing pressure at mid-winter lows in the north, but improved ice conditions brought fishing pressure way up on southern lakes in spite of the cold weather.

Most lakes across the Northwoods have 18 to 20 inches of solid ice. Die-hard walleye and panfish anglers have still been out in the past week, but action has been inconsistent. Tip-ups continued to produce a few walleye from deeper lakes in 25 to 35 feet on shiners. Panfish action has been erratic and anglers have been moving around quite a bit.

Fishing pressure picked up on southern lakes just as fish began to move into the midwinter doldrums in many locations. Northern pike have been hitting on some southern lakes, but most fish have been shorter than the 26-inch size limit. Panfish action has been generally reported as poor. Anglers continued to find perch, bluegills and crappies on Dane County lakes.

Success for walleye remained good on the Fox River in Brown County. Anglers were still pursuing yellow perch on Green Bay but few limits were reported. A few anglers have been fishing through the ice on Lake Michigan harbors in Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Kenosha but with only limited success.

The sturgeon spearing season on the Lake Winnebago system has been busy and the closure trigger was reached Wednesday on the upriver lakes, so that season closes at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 15. The Lake Winnebago season will likely remain open through next week. As of Tuesday, 862 sturgeon have been registered, including 561 sturgeon for Lake Winnebago and 301 from the upriver lakes.

The Mississippi River stayed steady all week at about 7 feet at Prairie du Chien. Ice fishing action picked up with backwaters producing some nice bluegills, crappie and perch.

Most black bear cubs have been born by this time. Fox and coyote are beginning their mating season and will be running in pairs soon. Bobcats are also starting their mating season.

Owls are livening up the woods at night with their calls, and great horned owls have begun nesting. This has been an excellent winter for short-eared owls at various refuges and state wildlife areas. Pine grosbeaks are being seen in good numbers in northern Wisconsin. A number of Carolina wrens have also been reported. Male cardinals have been singing in the morning and flocks of robins continue to be reported across the state. And although it is still the middle of winter, bald eagles are beginning their return to the northland so that they can claim territories and begin repair of their nests.



A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.

A new report is put on the line each week.





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Statewide birding report
Despite the cold temperatures, birders have been turning up some good birds across the state. A great-tailed grackle was discovered outside of Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area and is still around. Varied thrushes have still been showing well in Washburn, Dunbar and one was seen at Devil's Lake State Park. This has been an excellent winter for short-eared owls at various refuges and state wildlife areas. In particular they are very viewable at Killsnake, Brillion, Collins Marsh, Horicon, Shady Lane (west of Appleton), Bong, and in private grasslands of eastern Iowa and western Dane County. Viewing begins at about 4 p.m. and continues until dark. A snowy owl has also being seen southeast of Collins Marsh. Northern Wisconsin birders have been seeing good numbers of pine grosbeaks and both species of crossbills. In addition, boreal chickadees were seen along sheltered valley road in the Nicolet National Forest east of Three Lakes. Lake Michigan birders have been having good luck with winter gulls and waterfowl. The Menasha slaty-backed gull was spotted in Milwaukee and barrow's goldeneyes are currently being seen in Sheboygan, Milwaukee, and Harrington Beach State Park. Finally, a number of Carolina wrens have been reported to eBird this winter. It seems as if the previous warm winters and recent cold snap has made the increasing population of this species more viewable. As always, please report sightings to ebird www.ebird.org (exit DNR) so that biologists can better document and track bird populations across the state.

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NORTHERN REGION


Superior DNR Service Center area

Brule River State Forest - The Afterhours Ski Trail is in fair condition. Some small areas of dirt exist on the south end of White Pine Trail, and River Trail. The classic track is good for the vast majority of the trail system. Only a few short areas have grass in the track. Base depth is from half an inch to 2.5 inches on 99 percent of the trail.


Cumberland DNR Service Center area

Cardinals have been heard singing and five robins were seen in Barron County on Feb. 10. Red-tailed hawks are being seen in good numbers soaring and hunting from perches. Shallow snows are allowing them to continue hunting for rodents and a good rabbit population is also helping to provide plenty of food. Small game hunters are also using the good snow conditions to continue hunting cottontails. There is on average 3 inches of snow in the area. The deer winter severity index is 20, all of which are temperature points. This is very mild and deer continue to move freely with the shallow snow conditions and are continuing to cause a fair number of vehicle accidents on the major highways.


Park Falls DNR Service Center area

Cold temperatures continue but a slow moderation has begun and more seasonal temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend. There is little snow forecast for the Park Falls area so snowmobile and skiing enthusiasts shouldn’t expect improved trail conditions this weekend. Ice conditions are good and travel on area lakes is easy due to little snow cover on the ice. Stay on the marked trails when operating snowmobiles across water bodies. Fishing activity should improve with the moderating temperatures after the long cold spell. Crappies are suspending off the bottom in many lakes but some fish are also being caught near the bottom. Vary the depths of your presentations until locating the fish front Tip-ups continue to produce some walleye action but catches have been limited. Late afternoon continues to provide more action. Ice conditions are good and shanties are easily transported on area lakes but remember conditions can change quickly and heavy snows and slush could make travel much more difficult. Remember shanties must be removed by March 15 for lakes north of Highway 64. Fox and coyote trapping season closes Feb. 15, 2007.


Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) - The unseasonably cold weather has continued across the Northwoods and this has kept ice fishing pressure at its mid-winter lows. Ice conditions continue to be very good with most lakes now having 18 to 20 inches of solid ice. There is about 3 to 4 inches of snow cover on the lakes, but packed trails have developed on many waters and there hasn't been any significant new snow in the past week. The die-hard walleye and panfish anglers have still been at it, but they have been finding action to be rather inconsistent. Some days produce decent catches but on others, bites are very tough to come by. The regular walleye ice anglers have reported generally slow action, with a decent bite occurring about every third day. No one tactic has been better than the other, as deep break lines, gravel drop-offs, weed edges, and mud/muck flats have all been experiencing generally low activity. Panfish action has also been erratic and these anglers have been moving around quite a bit. Anglers have been moving from lake to lake, and from spot to spot on a lake searching for the active fish. Success has been low, but a few fair catches of crappie and perch have been reported.


Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Lack of new snow has left area trails in poor to fair condition for both cross country skiing and snowmobiling. New for this year is the 55 MPH night time speed limit for snowmobiling across the state. Please be mindful of speeds at night. It is very easy to outrun a snowmobile’s headlights. In other words, by the time headlights illuminate a hazard the driver can’t react and stop in time if they’re traveling greater than 55 MPH. Walleyes and crappies are now found about 2 to 4 feet off the bottom with the walleyes preferring deeper water. Perch were beginning to move into the shallower weed edges with both small minnows and jigs producing action. Although it is still the middle of winter, bald eagles are beginning their return to the northland so that they can claim territories and begin repair of their nests. In addition, black bear cubs are beginning their entrance into the world. Birds are consuming larger quantities of food this time of year. Owls are livening up the woods at night with their calls. Great horned owls are now nesting.


Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - Due to the recent cold snap, fishing activity has slowed dramatically across the area. Those that have been out were finding that the bite is slower than normal. A few walleye were being caught on tip-ups and shiners in deeper lakes over 25 to 35 foot flats. Perch seem to be following this pattern as well and anglers have been taking larger perch right along with walleye. Best times have been the last hour before dark and into the evening hours. Panfish action has been relatively slow, with some bluegill and crappie being taken in the early morning hours. Sunrise until around 8 a.m. were the best times to fish using small ice jigs and spikes or small crappie minnows. The gamefish season closes after March 4, so that only leaves three weekends left to fish walleye, northern pike, and bass.

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NORTHEAST REGION


Peshtigo DNR Service Center area

Marinette County - The Menominee River below the Hattie Street has been a hot spot for ice anglers hoping to catch walleye that have remained in the river instead of moving out to the bay. This activity has brought in a few curious onlookers as this is not typical fishing for this particular spot. Until the first Sunday in March the daily bag limit is five walleye with a 15-inch size limit for the Menominee River below the first dam. The Lake Noquebay Fisheree is slated for Feb. 24. Access to the lake is good due to the sparse snowfall this season. Ice anglers have been having moderate success with northern pike and trying to keep the shanties warm. Birdfeeders have been busy with visits from red-bellied woodpeckers, who seem a little more content away from the activity storing food in the bark of elm trees. Morning doves are moving northward and birdsongs can be heard in the morning.


Oconto County - Cold temperatures and minimal snow cover has most everyone in a deep freeze. Snowmobile trails remain open but are in poor condition. Ice conditions are better on area lakes although fishing is slow. Fox and coyote are beginning their mating season and will be running in pairs soon.


Green Bay DNR Service Center area

Brown County - On the Fox River, success for walleye remained good with some catching 24-inch fish. Anglers have been fishing from Voyageur Park to the DePere Wastewater Treatment Plant. Yellow perch were still be pursued on Dead Horse Bay near Long Tail Point. Minimal success of two fish of sizes greater than 7.5 inches were caught near Dykesville. Anglers were fishing at depths from 20 to 30 feet with no noticeable change of success.


Sturgeon Bay DNR Service Center area

Door County - A few anglers were able to catch limits of yellow perch between Sugar Creek and Circle Ridge Road fishing in water depths of 28 to 45 feet. One anglers noticed the change of success when the current changed and he was catching fish from 9 to 11 inches. Others used more effort to catch near limits. In Potawatomi Park, anglers were catching limits of 8- to 9-inch yellow perch. Northern pike success remained slow.


Peninsula State Park – Ice anglers have been having luck catching perch and even a few whitefish. As of Feb 12, snow cover was 4 inches. Crews packed ski trails, but an additional 4 inches of snow will be needed to make conditions good or better. Ski trails are not groomed/tracked to normal standards, though some skiers are using the trails anyway. Skate skiers report fair to good conditions on the ski trails. The sledding hill is open. Snowmobile trails remain closed due to the lack of a good snow base.



Oshkosh DNR Service Center area

Upper Fox-Wolf basin fisheries report - Most of the fishing activity in the area has been relegated to the opening of the 2007 Sturgeon Spearing season. Ice conditions have been good with reports of thickness ranging from 8 to 16 inches. Caution is still recommended due to the variability. Water clarity has also been variable ranging from clear to cloudy. The 90 percent closure trigger was hit Wednesday for male sturgeon on the Upriver Lakes so the season on Lakes Butte des Mort, Winneconne and Poygan will close Feb. 15 at 12:30 p.m. The season on Lake Winnebago will likely will run into, and probably through, this coming weekend. Wednesday’s harvest on both Lake Winnebago and the upriver lakes was 71. The Lake Winnebago take of 56 fish included 32 female sturgeon (10 juvenile females and 22 adult females) and 24 males. Upriver the take was 15 fish including 6 juvenile and 9 males. So far this season, 862 sturgeon have been registered.

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SOUTHEAST REGION


Lake Michigan fisheries team report


Sheboygan County - In Sheboygan, most of the Sheboygan River is iced over, and some anglers have been ice fishing downstream near 8th Street. Anglers fishing through the ice in the Sheboygan harbor have been having only limited success. Please use caution when venturing out on the ice.


Milwaukee County - In Milwaukee, some browns have been reported by shore anglers fishing the open water in the Menomonee River near the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District offices. Anglers have been fishing through the ice in McKinley and South Shore Marinas, but fishing has been slow.


Kenosha County - In Kenosha ice anglers have been working the Small Boat Harbor as well as Southport Marina, but only a few browns have been caught on occasion.


Inland fisheries team report

The recent cold blast has greatly improved the local ice conditions. Fishing pressure is way up in spite of the less than ideal weather conditions. Even though ice anglers are just getting started they are facing the midwinter doldrums in many locations.


Washington, eastern Fond du Lac, and inland Sheboygan counties - Good ice was reported for most of the area lakes yet, there are still week spots due to late goose roosting. Be careful. Northern pike have been hitting on several inland lakes. Most of the fish have been shorter than the 26-inch size limit. Panfish action has been generally reported as poor.


Waukesha County - Ice fishing action is picking up. Anglers report walleyes being caught from Pewaukee Lake, mainly in the western basin. Northern pike action has been good on the Phantom Lakes and Golden Lake. Panfish have been biting well on Big Muskego, but reports are that most are small. Ice conditions are generally good on most lakes, but snow cover can conceal bad spots. Be especially careful near inlets and outlets of lakes, since moving water erodes ice.


Point Beach State Forest – The forest received about 5 to 7 inches of new snow on Feb. 13. The cross-country ski trail grooming crew will be working on the trails on Wednesday evening and hope to have the trails ready for Thursday. Previous to the snowfall, the trails were in fair condition, but red squirrels had dropped a lot of debris (needles and cones) on the snow surface, which was sticking to the bottoms of skis. The new snow has buried the debris so the trails should be in great condition for the weekend. While Point Beach State Forest does not have specific snowshoe trails, snowshoers can trek anywhere in the forest that is not a ski trail. Many snowshoers are enjoying the new Molash Creek Trail (part of the Ice Age Trail system). Inquire at the forest headquarters for directions.

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SOUTH CENTRAL REGION


Dodgeville DNR Service Center area

Grant County

Wyalusing State Park - Hiking trails are snow-covered. The park received about 4 inches of light, fluffy snow on Feb. 12. As of Feb. 14, there were at least 10 inches of snow on the ground and it was snowing lightly and was quite windy. The roadway portion of the Mississippi Ridge Cross Country Ski Trail (Cathedral Tree Drive) was groomed and tracked Feb. 14 by a volunteer. This portion of the trail is approximately 3 miles in length. The Mississippi Ridge Trail is in good condition. Mississippi River stage at Prairie du Chien this morning is 7.1 feet, the same as yesterday. Fishing activity must be picking up as the number of vehicles on the way to the boat landing has increased since last week. The warmer weather may have something to due with the increase in the number of vehicles. Bird activity at the bird feeders has greatly increased due to the bitter cold and snow. Bird sightings near the feeders the past few days include: cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, goldfinches white-breasted nuthatches, juncos, crows, ring-neck pheasant rooster, tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers and mourning doves. Purple finches have returned. A flock of tree sparrows has been feeding on the ground near the feeders this past week. The proximity of the feeders to the office and the road makes it a popular spot for bird watching and picture taking. In the late afternoon just before dark, at least two dozen cardinals can be seen feeding at the office feeders. It is not uncommon to see as many as eight male cardinals in what the park has dubbed the “cardinal tree,” a tree overgrown with vines near the feeders. The cardinals love to sit on it before flying to the feeders. A local resident from Bagley reported a flock of about 100 robins feeding on her hackberry tree and drinking and bathing in her heated bird bath. Great horned owls will be sitting on eggs early in February. Cardinals are in flocks now. With the lengthening days, tufted titmice and cardinals are singing. Squirrel mating season has started. Some campsites in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground are open for camping on a first-come, first-served basis. Showers, flush toilets, water faucets, and the dumping station are closed for the season. A winterized water faucet is located to the east of the shower/flush building in the Wisconsin Ridge Campground.


Fitchburg DNR Service Center area

Sauk County

Mirror Lake State Park - As of Feb. 13, ski conditions: there was a 2- to 4-inch base for skiing. Trails are all groomed. Skating trails were in good condition. The Bluewater Bay East and group camp loop have been tracked for classic skiing and were in fair to poor condition. Additional snow is needed to set track on other trails.


Dane County – Anglers continued to find perch and bluegills on Lake Waubesa off of Lake Farm Park. Anglers reported that they were seeing big bluegills but the bigger ones were spooky and wouldn’t bite. Lake Kegonsa was yielding perch and crappies. Lake Mendota anglers were finding a few perch and white bass off of Lake Mendota County Park and Shorewood Hills. As of Feb. 13, Dane County snowmobile trails remained open, with the exception of trails in the northwest quadrant of the county. A fresh snowfall of about 4 inches was received early this week. Snow conditions are excellent on the lakes and cross-country skiers also are finding excellent trail conditions. Snowmobilers and skiers can call the Dane County Parks trail information line at (608) 242-4576 for current information on trail conditions.


Capital Springs State Recreation Area - The Lake Farm Unit offers about 5 miles of cross-country skiing. The trails were in good to excellent condition as of Feb. 14. A trail pass is required for anyone skiing on the trails ages 16 years old or older.


Lake Kegonsa State Park - All cross country ski trails are open and in good condition. Trails were groomed and tracked on Feb. 12.




Jefferson County - The Jefferson and Dodge county snowmobile trails are currently open and in fair shape now that a little more snow has fallen. The open fields are rough in some spots due to the snow having blown off but the cold temperatures have helped prevent melting of the 5-7 inches currently on the ground. The ATV trail in Dodge County on the Wild Goose Trail was open as of Feb. 12 and will remain open as long as the ground is sufficiently frozen. Ice thickness on Rock Lake, Hope Lake and Mud Lake are between 12 and 15 inches in most places. Trucks were being driven on both the north and south ends of Rock Lake. The upper Rock and Crawfish Rivers have been experiencing a high volume of snowmobile and ATV activity with all but a few places frozen over. Fishing success has been slow with a few 5- to 7-inch bluegills being caught on Rock and Hope Lakes by jigging with spikes and waxworms. A few northern pike have been caught on tip-ups with shiners but success has also been slow.

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WEST CENTRAL REGION


Baldwin DNR Service Center area

St. Croix County

Willow River State Park - The lack of new snow continues although some is predicted this week. What snow the park has has not melted much. South facing areas with pine trees are losing snow cover in spots on ski trails. Crews can’t do any grooming with the variable snow cover. To reach the good snow, the snowmobile would likely destroy another part of the trail. Overall, moderate skier traffic has put some wear on the trail system and conditions could begin to deteriorate without new snow. Aggressive use of ski edges on the fragile base is enough to tear the base open and expose gravel. The hiking abuse of the ski trails has sped up the potential decline of skiing conditions. Cross-country ski trails on DNR property are open to skiers only by state statute. The ski trail heads have signage indicating that the trails are not open to hikers or pets. Winter trails maps are available at the park office. Please hike on the multiple use trails or in other areas not designated for skiing. The Mound trail sees relatively few people this time of year. Off trail, there is not enough snow to need snowshoes. The places the trout anglers walk off Trout Brook Road are beautiful and un-crowded. There is abundant waterfowl in the open water along the Race and Willow branches. There are no maintained trails but there are footpaths that the anglers use to follow the river. Ski trail conditions as of Feb. 12 were: Two down hills on the Orange trail have bare spots easily spotted before arrival. On the Yellow trail walk the down hill through the pines. The hill has scattered dirt and a wide thin to bare spot at the bottom. Gravel is still an issue on the first hundred yards of the Purple trail. Walk along side of the trail and then put your skis on after the gravel. The usual low snow bare spots exist at the end of the loop. On the Blue trail, the downhill out of the campground leads to patchy snow after the drop flattens out. The hill is fast due to a lot of use. There is good snow to slow down on. The snow gets good again once you pass the point. The long up hill to the Yellow is packed solid. The Red and Brown trails are the best trails of the system. The connector from the Brown to the Red is bare and dry. You will have to stop and walk so go slowly at the split. The Green trail in the campground is showing wear in the skate lane and some skied in track is washed out.


La Crosse DNR Service Center area

Observations of wild turkeys and deer have increased recently. This is probably due to snowfalls which improved the visibility of these animals. As the snow recedes, keep a watchful eye on sunny south-facing slopes. Wild turkeys and deer tend to use these areas for feeding and loafing. Many folks are reporting flocks of turkeys as large as a 100 birds or more. They will break up into smaller groups when winter is over and spring approaches. Birdfeeder activity has also dramatically increased during the recent cold spell. Breaks in weather such as the last cold period will also have an increase in wildlife movement.




Crawford County - The snowmobile trails in the county were open as of Feb. 12. Snow started to fall late Sunday night with an anticipated accumulation of 3 or so inches of new snow. All the trails in the county were groomed last week so they should be in good shape. The Mississippi River stayed fairly steady all week. The river stage was about 7 feet this week. Extremely cold remained in place for most of the week. Ice conditions in the Prairie du Chien area and throughout the county improved again this week.


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GENERAL
ly ice thickness ranges from about 3 inches to around 12 inches. Even so, travel on the ice can be dangerous. Caution is advised due to spring activity, current and snow cover. The Ambro Slough is frozen and anglers were crossing over it to Mud Slough from the DNR boat landing. Some have gone farther and crossed the Black Slough to get to Tilmont Lake. Some anglers were working their way up the Ambro from the USFWS landing to Fish Lake, the Upper and Lower Doubles and Big and Little Missouri. Ice conditions in this area are generally good, but there is current running through the Ambro and Black sloughs so caution is urged. Also, just above the USFWS landing a small creek enters the Ambro Slough. Recently steam was observed rising from the area where it intersects the Ambro. Ice is covering Gremore Lake and anglers are accessing it from the DNR boat landing off the Ambro and off CTH K. Sturgeon Slough has good ice and anglers were getting to it from the parking area off Highway 18. Spring Lake was being accessed off Highway 35. The Main Channel and East Channels on the Mississippi River are frozen over. Cold Spring north of Lynxville still has some open water near the boat landing; however, a lot of anglers were fishing through the ice on both the north and south ponds at Cold Spring. Access has mainly been via the parking area off Highway 35; however, some have accessed the ice from the boat landing by walking toward the railroad tracks and crossing over the “channel” to get to the south pond. Most of the backwater areas along the Wisconsin River have ice and conditions are fairly good. Ice fishing action picked up this week as the weather, although cold, stabilized. Sturgeon Slough continued to be very slow. A few anglers have ventured into McGregor Lake (also known as Horseshoe or Sturgeon Lake) and did fair this week. Some anglers who used airboats were able to fish the Garnet Lake area and found good activity. Mud Slough was slow but Tilmont Lake was producing some nice bluegills, crappie and perch. Gremore Lake continued to be slow. Anglers venturing up to Big and Little Missouri and the “Doubles” were doing very well on nice bluegills and a few nice perch and crappie. Bluegill action at Cold Spring was good on some days. Bluegill action on the backwaters of the Wisconsin was pretty good during the week. Fishing below the dam by boat at Lynxville over. The boat landing at Gordon’s Bay is frozen it tight. At the dam only open water area is directly below the dam. So far no one has ventured out to fish through the ice as it is extremely dangerous right now. Bald Eagles can bee seen throughout the county. They are venturing further inland now that area waters are freezing up. Eagles can be seen throughout the county along stream beds and along open fields. A fair amount of eagles can be seen near the Lynxville Dam. Turkeys are starting to flock up in larger numbers now that the snow is on ground. A variety of song birds are visiting bird feeders. Deer are starting to search for food near houses and farms. Standing crops are being targeted by deer, turkey, squirrel and rabbit. The remaining snowfall has provided excellent conditions for rabbit and coyote hunting in the area. Rabbit hunters report fair to good numbers of rabbits in the area. Coyote numbers are strong.



Eau Claire DNR Service Center area

Brunet Island State Park - Brunet Island State Park has received numerous light snowfalls, though not enough to groom the cross country ski trails. A few warmly dressed skiers have been using the trails. Hikers have many great opportunities within the park. Whether it’s using the island’s trail system, exploring the wilder areas of the park, or a brisk walk on the park road, you’re sure to enjoy these beautiful woodlands. Ice fishing on the Brunet Island State Park north campground lagoons has remained productive with panfish and northern pike being taken. Perch Lake on Hwy CC has been providing good panfish action. Please remember that the park staff does not monitor ice conditions. The south campground is open year round with electric sites, hand water pump, and pit toilets available.




Wisconsin Rapids DNR Service Center area

Buckhorn State Park - Ice anglers have been catching many Crappies on the Castle Rock Flowage. Walleye fishing has been slowing down recently. Cross-country ski trails have been groomed, and are in good condition. Campsites 8, 9, and 16 are open for camping and are non-reservable. All other campsites are closed. Water is available at the park office. The 2007 photo contest has started - remember your camera to take winter pictures for the contest.


Roche-A-Cri State Park - Campsites and facilities are closed for the season, but the park remains open for day use. Parking is available at the winter parking lot on Czech Avenue. The stairway to the top of the Roche-A-Cri Mound is not maintained for winter use. Cross country ski trails have been groomed, and are in good condition. The 2007 photo contest has started - remember your camera to take winter pictures for the contest.


Last Revised: Thursday February 15 2007

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